Trout, Angels Batter Gray, Yankees, 11-4

Julio Cortez / AP

The Angels' Mike Trout rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Yankees starter Sonny Gray, right, during the fourth inning Saturday in New York. Mike Trout homered and doubled three times in his first five-hit game in the majors.

The Angels' Mike Trout rounds the bases after hitting a home run off Yankees starter Sonny Gray, right, during the fourth inning Saturday in New York. Mike Trout homered and doubled three times in his first five-hit game in the majors.

(Julio Cortez / AP)

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Mike Trout homered and doubled three times during his first five-hit game in the majors, and the Los Angeles Angels quickly erased an early deficit in beating the New York Yankees 11-4 on Saturday night.

Playing not far from his southern New Jersey hometown, Trout went deep for the third straight game to tie Boston's Mookie Betts for the big league lead with 17 home runs. The two-time MVP drove in four runs and set career bests with four extra-base hits and 11 total bases.

Trout added an infield single and finished 5-for-5, including a two-run homer off shaky starter Sonny Gray (3-4) in the fourth that put the Angels ahead 5-4 after they trailed by three following the second inning.

Jose Briceno homered in his major league debut for Los Angeles, and rookie Jaime Barria (4-1) returned from the minors to win his third consecutive major league decision.

Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge began the bottom of the first with back-to-back homers for the Yankees, who lost for only the third time in their last 17 home games. Austin Romine poked a two-run shot the other way off the right-field foul pole that made it 4-1 in the second.

Barria settled down after that and lasted five innings. He gave up six hits and struck out four before the Los Angeles bullpen delivered four scoreless innings of one-hit ball.

Coming off his best outing of the season, eight dominant innings at Kansas City, the inconsistent Gray took a step back. He was charged with five runs, seven hits and three walks in 32/3 innings.

Trout hit an RBI double off the left-field wall in the first and a ringing double to right in the third. After his homer in the fourth, he had an RBI double to left-center in the sixth and an infield single to deep shortstop in the seventh.

Albert Pujols had a two-run single as the Angels broke it open in a four-run sixth.

Ohtani Watch

Shohei Ohtani threw a bullpen before the game and then went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts and a bases-loaded walk as the designated hitter. Ohtani also grounded into a double play that scored a run.

Ohtani would seem likely to be the DH against Japanese countryman Masahiro Tanaka on Sunday, though skipper Mike Scioscia wouldn't commit to that. Ohtani appears to be tracking toward making his next start on the mound Wednesday in Detroit, but the team has not made any announcement.

Bird Activated, Torreyes Demoted

In a somewhat surprising move, the New York Yankees sent reserve infielder Ronald Torreyes to the minors to clear a roster spot for first baseman Greg Bird.

The diminutive and popular Torreyes, batting .339 in a backup role, was optioned to Triple A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Friday night's victory over the Los Angeles Angels. Bird was reinstated from the disabled list Saturday and was in the starting lineup, batting sixth and playing first base. He had been sidelined since having right ankle surgery on March 27.

"I feel like I'm going to hit the ground running. We've got a great team and I'm excited to be back," Bird said. "I'm ready to go every day."

Bird was 0-for-4 Saturday against the Angels.

Rather than demote first baseman Tyler Austin or one of their eight relief pitchers, the Yankees chose to send down Torreyes, who has a solid .785 OPS in 22 games and can play several positions.

"Obviously, a very difficult decision for us," manager Aaron Boone said. "Hopefully, it's something that's temporary. I mean, for what Toe means to our team, to our clubhouse, to the guys in that room, to the way he performs, certainly not deserved. You know, with 14 games over 13 days I think we just felt like we needed the extra pitcher through this time. Feel like other guys have very much thrown themselves into the mix as far as deserving to be here — Toe included. So, a very difficult decision was made and it made for a difficult night."

Bird, 25, made his big league debut in 2015 and had 11 homers and 31 RBI in 46 games. He missed 2016 after surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

Last year, Bird hit .451 with eight homers in spring training , but fouled a ball off his right ankle March 30, started the season 6 for 60 and went on the disabled list May 2. When the foot did not improve, Bird had surgery July 18 to remove a bone in the ankle.

Bird returned Aug. 26 and hit .253 with eight homers and 25 RBI in 29 games, then batted .241 three homers and six RBI in 13 playoff games.

He hit just .154 in 52 at-bats during spring training this year with one homer, one double and four RBI. Bird went 8 for 39 (.205) with three homers and eight RBI over 12 games in a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment.